BID Mission & Goals

aka, "Durango Conference Center Business Improvement District"

Brief Background & History: The Durango Business Improvement District in organized under the laws governing Special Districts (governmental entity) pursuant to the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S 31-25-1212). The District was proposed by the Durango City Council (O-1997-22) and approved by the voters within the Durango Business Improvement District in November 1997, the District begin collecting the 1.5 mil levy beginning in January 1998. The District mil levy lapsed in December 2000. No District property taxes were collected from January 2001 to December 2003 (3 year period). District voters re-approved the 1.5 mil levy in November 2003, and the reinstated mil levy began to be collected for a 7-year period in January 2004. The nominal property tax generates approximately $145,000 in annual tax revenues.

Purpose & Mission: To help all types of businesses in the District by assisting with marketing special events, providing research on topics of concern to the District (facilities, special events, best practices), planning & development of new facilities and providing capital budget for equipment that helps support business in the district.

November 2003 Ballot question: In 2003 the voters of the district approved (by a 3 to 1 margin) the following question:

"Shall Durango Conference Center Business Improvement District taxes be increased $150,000 annually (first full fiscal year tax increase) for the purpose of funding events, event coordination and related marketing in the Durango area, and any costs related to the planning, design, construction and financing of capital improvements in the Business Improvement District, by the imposition of an additional one and one-half mill property tax levy; and shall all revenues be collected, retained and spent by the District in the 2004 collection year and each subsequent collection year, not to extend beyond the 2010 collection year, notwithstanding the limits of the Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution and Section 29-1-301, Colorado Revised Statutes, as amended?"

Governance & Budget: The Durango City Council, as per Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S) appoints members of the Board of Directors. At least three of directors need to be City residents, at least two directors need to be property owners in the district and at least two members need to be sales tax collectors in the District. Each year the Board of Directors of the Durango Business Improvement District submits an annual budget to the Durango City Council for review. This budget is based on the $145,000 of property tax revenues collected annually from District property owners.

Board Meetings: The Board holds meetings each month, usually at the Strater Hotel in downtown Durango. Taxpayers and businesses within the District are welcome to attend. Each meeting, as the Colorado open meetings laws are "open to the public". For more information on upcoming meetings, contact the District.

Administrative Services: The Board is comprised of business and property owners from the District. The Board of Directors has decided to maintain a low overhead and fiscally conservative approach to staff support and administrative costs. Over the past several years the administrative cost of operating the District and supporting the Board has been less than 10% to 15% of the annual operating expenses. The Board has retained Jasper Welch with Four Corners Management Systems ( www.jasperwelch.org ) to provide ongoing administrative support. The majority of the annual budget goes towards assisting with special event marketing, financing equipment and facilities, providing research for the District and engaging in activities that support the District.

Coordination with City of Durango: The District works closely with the City of Durango and their downtown Durango office. The downtown coordinator attends the District Board meetings as an "ex-officio" member, and works closely with the District on capital improvements, special events and marketing the downtown. In addition, the District has been a contributor to downtown Durango capital improvements made by the City of Durango.